Dam construction



Feb. 16 1926.

' P. ZUCCO DAM CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed August l.1922 .efnoy Pierre Zucca Ber ma( im orneys Feb. 16 ,1926. 1,573,366

P. ZUCCO DAM CONSTRUCTION Original Filed August 1, 1922 2 Sheetsheet@Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

PIERRE Z'UOOO, on sau FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA..

D'AM CONSTRUCTION;

application flied-august 1, 1922, serial No. 578,871. Renewed December15, ma.

T all "fwlwmz't may concern.'

Be it known that I, Pinnen ZUooo, a

which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a dam construction` It is the principal objectof the present y invention to provide a novel-'structural formationparticularly applicable to concrete dam structures whereb'ymaximumstrength may he obtained by the use of a minimum amount of material anda cheap and effectualdam may be readily built, said structure being soformedY as to malte it possible to increase the height or to furtherreinforce the structure without inconvenience and danger of creatingweaknessesV in the dam.

The present invention contemplates the building ofconcrete dams whichlare formed with a substantially fiat pressureI wallagainst" which watermay be impounded, and which wall is reinforced horizontally by aplurality of relatively short span corruga- Y tions or reinforcing ribsformed along the back of the dam and reinforced vertically by buttressesformed integral with the Vstructure and disposed at intervals throughoutthe length thereof.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, in

which* Fig. l is a view in plan showing the dam with which the presentinvention is concerned, with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view in transverse vertical section and elevation showingthe vertical sectional formation and reinforcement of the dam.

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section on line 3-3, Fig.. 2. f

Fig. 4 1s an enlarged plan section of a portionof the dam showing two ofthe vertical abutments 1l and the horizontal ribs 13 connecting thesame.

Referring Vmore particularly to the drawings, .10 indicates the pressurewall of a dam as here shown. A forward surface of A this wall whenconsidered horizontally lies in the present construction, however, asthe.

buttresses 11 may be so designed as to withstand any predeterminedmaximum st'ain.

'Referencebeing had to Fig. 2 of the drawing, it will be seen that thepressure wall G is disposed at au angle' to the vertical and that itsrear face is corrugated as indicated at 12. These corrugations areformed throughout the height of the dam and extending horizontallybetween the vertical abutments 11.` The corrugations are arranged toprogressively decrease in depth as they reach the top of the dam whiletheir rib sections 13 are preferably arched horizontally as indicated at13a to tie them to the abutments and which portions also vary invradius. i

By referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the front face of the walllies along a plane A1, the arches or the corrugations along a plane Band the tops of the ribs along-a plane C. It will also be observed thatthese three planes are at slightly divergingangles to each other, thuscausing the wall to be thicker and more strongly reinforced at its footwhile gradually bccoming thinner and weaker toward the top. The wallwill thus be gradually increased in thickness as it reaches the footingof the dam, and the ribs will increase in depth while their horizontalspan will decrease. The abutments 11 may be of any desired width andthickness. They are here shown as tapering in an opposite direction fromthe wall, and their vertical cross section decreased towards the top. Itwill be evident from the examination of the drawings that the abutmentsmay be enlarged at any time if desired, and the height of the damincreased as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Transverse reinforcement 15 may also be provided if required. It is alsodesirable to form inspection runways 16 in the rear of the wall and toform passageways 1 7 therefor through the abutments.

In building the present structure a mould is formed for the corrugationsand may be used successively throughoutthe height of the dam. Anothermould is formed for 105 the abutments and it is thus possible to rapidlyand economically last the dam in place.

It will thus be seen that the present in vention provides advantages inthat a mini- U0 mum amount of material is used to construct a dam ofmaximum strength, the dam being so designed as to prevent it troniuplifting, and :is suoli een be used in any kind of soil, and being` ofsuoli i design Vis t-o and in tact insurance against lezilriige isvprovided es a richer concrete inixture een be used at points vor" greetpermeability without increasingthe labor or involvingA eny considerablevadditional expenditure: et'. time.

'lt will further be noted that the striic.

Vture here disclosed makes it possible for the reinforcing steel work tobe constantly under observation as the vdnni is beingei'ectei'l.

lll'hilc l have shown the preferred forni oi: iny invention es now knownto ine, it will be understood that various changes might be inzide inthecombination, -construction end arrangement of parts by those skilled inthe art, Without departing 'roin the spirit of the invention as claimed.

lnlziviiig thus described niy invention, what I elaini and de Aire tosecure by `Letters Fai-f ent is*- l. A concrete dani comprising` nVengul-Lirly disposed pressure nf'elldecreasing in thickness troni thebottoni `to the top, a plurality of buttresses on the rear side ot theWell vertically disposed, interspeced and Iintegral with the pressurewell, andeJ plurality of superposed interspeeed hor1Zon-- tellyextending ribs disposed between the buttresses and integral with therear 'face et the pressure Wall and the buttresses, sii-id ribs forminghorizontal aiches between the butt'resses which decrease in spain, seidspans being longest at the top and .decreasing yin span towards thebottoni of the dein.

2. A concrete dani 'comprising an ingularly disposed pressure welldecreasing in thickness from the bottoni to the top, zi-

tiesses and integral withV the rear trice el the pressure wall und thebuttresses, sziid ribs increasing in depth'toiiirds the bottoni of thedein, and 4seid `ribs 'also irrininhorizontal arches between thebutti'es.;

3. A concretedriin comprising un yangulzirly disposed pressure welldecree-sing in thickness frein the bottom to the top, a pluralityl oibuttresses on the rezir side et the well, verticallyl disposed,interspaced and integral with the. pressure wail, and a. plurality ofhorizontally'superposed, interspeced ribs disposed between thebuttresses :ind integr-sl with the rear face ot' the presl sure wall:ind the buttiesses, said ribs being disposed at right angles to therear trice ot' the press ire wall sind the outer trice. olf eech ribterminating in en arch. l A' PIERRE ZUCCC.

